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Natalia Romanova (Earth-616)
__TOC__ Real Name: Natalia Alianovna Romanova (Shostakova) ("Natasha" is the informal version of the name "Natalia," and is used by her close associates. Sometimes she has chosen to Anglicize her last name as "Romanoff." She has dropped her married name of "Shostakova.") Nicknames: Natasha, Tasha Former Aliases: Nancy Rushman, Laura Matthers Other Current Aliases: No other known current aliases =Status= Occupation: Adventurer, intelligence agent, former ballerina Legal Status: Former citizen of the USSR, defected to the United States. Criminal record in the United States, granted amnesty through SHIELD. Living in the US with an extended visa. Identity: Secret Marital Status: Widowed Known Relatives: Alexi Shostakov (Red Guardian, husband, deceased) Group Affiliation: S.H.I.E.L.D (formerly) Avengers, Champions, Lady Liberators, KGB, "Marvel Knights", partner of Daredevil and Hawkeye Base of Operations: Mobile, but maintains a home in New York City =Origin= Natasha Romanoff, a descendant of Russia's royal family, was found as a young child by Russian soldier Ivan Petrovitch, who watched over her as she grew to adulthood and today works as her chauffeur. Romanoff proved to be a brilliant scholar and athlete as she matured, and gained fame in the Soviet Union as a ballerina. Romanoff married renowned Soviet test pilot Alexi Shostakov, but the couple's happiness was short-lived. It was decided by the KGB, the department of the Soviet government which served as the intelligence agency and secret police, that the Shostakovs would make good special operatives. While Alexi Shostakovs was away on a mission, he was informed of the state's new plans for him, and told that from then on he could have no contact with past friends and acquaintances, including even his own wife. Shostakov was then trained to become the Red Guardian, a costumed agent who was intended to act as the Soviet Union's counterpart to [[Captain America (Steve Rogers)|Captain America. Meanwhile, a Soviet officer told Natalia Shostakova that her husband had died in the explosion of an experimental rocket he was testing. Distraught, Natalia Shostakova said that she wanted to do something to be worthy of the memory of her heroic husband. The KGB had anticipated her reaction, and trained her to become the spy known as the Black Widow. Place of Birth: Stalingrad, former USSR First Appearance: Tales of Suspense #52 =History= In her early days of her career, the Black Widow did not act as a costumed agent. Her first major field assignment was to infiltrate Stark Industries in the United States and to assist her partner Boris Turgenov in the assassination of the defector Professor Anton Vanko. The Black Widow was thwarted repeatedly by the original Iron Man in her various schemes against Stark Industries. The Black Widow used Hawkeye, who was then sought as a criminal and was himself attracted to her, as an ally in some of her subversive activities. The Black Widow was given her first costume for her fourth mission to the United States. However, her growing love for Hawkeye led to a weakening of her resolve to continue her missions for the Soviets. Hawkeye refused to act as a criminal any longer, and successfully sought amnesty along with membership in the Avengers. The Black Widow fell into the hands of the intelligence agents of the People's Republic of China, who brainwashed her into serving them. They directed her to attack the Avengers, but she freed herself from their brainwashing, was reunited with Hawkeye, revealed her true identity and offered her services to SHIELD, which has made use of her talents on numerous occasions. Her romance with Hawkeye eventually ended, as did a subsequent love affair and partnership with Daredevil, although she remains friends with both men. She was a member of the Champions of Los Angeles, and serves from time to time as a member of the Avengers. She remains active as a freelance adventurer. After working through a crisis of faith, Natasha accepted an assignment that brought her into conflict with Yelena Belova, another Russian operative claiming the mantle of Black Widow. Shortly after, Natasha discovered that General Stalyenko was up to something in the Hudson River Valley and the Rhapastani Government. In order to investigate the matter she had Yelena Belova captured and their faces surgically swapped. This allowed her to meet with Stalyenko, but he wasn’t so easily fooled. However, Natasha was still able to foil his plan of retrieving some nukes left in the Valley during the Cold War that he was to sell to Rhapastan. Supposedly, the Black Widow agents were given chemical treatments to slow down the aging process, but the biological change also makes it difficult for them to carry a child to term. To ensure a female agent would not attack a male superior, a special cologne was designed. Nick Fury confirmed that he acquired the cologne and it may have played a role in her defection. =Characteristics= Height: 5'7" Weight: 125 lbs Eyes: Green Hair: Red-auburn (formerly dyed black) Unusual Features: No unusual features =Powers= Strength Level: The Black Widow possesses the normal human strength of a woman of her physical age (not her chronological age), height, and build who engages in intensive regular exercise. Known Powers: Natasha ages at a decelerated rate. Known Abilities: The Black Widow is skilled in the martial arts, espionage, and sharpshooting. She is also an Olympic class athlete and a profound ballet dancer. Equipment: Natasha's sole special abilities come from her uniform. Microscopic suction cups allow her to scale walls and cling to ceilings, just as her namesake. Transportation: Natasha uses her Widow's Line, a grappling hook with a retractable line, to swing along rooftops for increased mobility. Weapons: The Black Widow's wrist cartridges contain various tools of the spy trade: tear-gas pellets, a radio transmitter and spring-loaded cable, as well as a small device capable of emitting a high-frequency electrostatic charge. Notes: Recent developments in her mini-series hint that the Black Widows were chemical modified. ---- Trivia: ---- Recommended Readings: ---- Related Articles: ---- External Links: ---- References: ---- Category:Characters Category:Living Characters Category:Good Characters Category:Secret Identity